FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1864

                         C 335 L 99

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Providing for the registration of surgical technologists.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Health Care (Originally sponsored by Representatives Cody, Boldt, Campbell, Wood and Koster).

House Committee on Health Care

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

Background:

Surgical technologists are non-regulated personnel principally employed by hospitals as part of the operating room team who work under the supervision of surgeons to perform certain skills and aseptic techniques commonly associated with the "scrub" role during surgery.  Some surgical technologists are employed by ambulatory surgery centers or private physician operating suites.

Under the Sunrise Review Act, the Legislature, requested the Department of Health and the Board of Health to study the need for regulating surgical technologists and to make findings and recommendations on this issue.  The department and the board jointly recommended that surgical technologists be registered under the Secretary of Health in order to establish standards and provide oversight through the Uniform Disciplinary Act.

Summary:

There is a declaration of legislative intent that the registration of  surgical technologists is in the public interest.

A surgical technologist is defined as a person, regardless of title, who is supervised in the surgical setting under the authority of a health practitioner acting within the scope of his or her license.

A surgical technologist representing himself or herself as a surgical technologist is required to register with the Department of Health.  Exemptions from the registration requirement are specified.

The department is authorized to adopt rules, set registration fees and administer the registration program.  The Uniform Disciplinary Act governs the discipline of surgical technologists for unprofessional conduct, and the Secretary of Health acts as the disciplining authority.

Votes on Final Passage:

House950

Senate454

Effective:July 25, 1999